The paper deals with the Föderalismusreform III, focusing in particular on the amendments of the financial constitution (‘Finanzverfassung’) and on the changes in the Finanzausgleich that will be effective from 2020 onwards. Insofar the system of revenue distribution across and within the different layers of government (Finanzausgleich) has been one of the most controversial issue with reference to Bund-Länder financial relations and it is not by chance that the reform approved in July 2017 has substantially revised this system. Not only the horizontal equalization scheme (Länderfinanzausgleich) will expire by the end of 2019, but the VAT distribution among the Länder will be done according to new criteria, showing a strong redistributive impact. In discussing the main features of the new system to come, the paper investigates the pros and cons of the reform, evaluating the impact on federal dynamics.